Following-up is an essential skill in virtually every industry. Whether you’re reminding a preexisting client or just trying to make connections, it is likely that at some point, you won’t get a response. So what do you do? You either follow-up or give up!

In my mind, giving up is a lost opportunity; whereas following-up has no risk and the possibility of a huge reward. Following-up shows that you’re taking initiative; if it’s something you want badly enough, you go after it.

Understandably, many people associate following-up with annoying someone. This is a valid concern, so it’s essential to keep your follow-ups in moderation. But, by incorporating these guidelines into your follow-up strategy, you’ll likely have more success.

1. Don’t Overthink

When you send an email and you don’t immediately get a response, try not to overthink. I’m guilty of overthinking too – I don’t receive a response, and my immediate reaction is, “They must not like me, they’re ignoring me!” While yes, that Is possibly the case, beating yourself up over it is futile; it’s better to expend effort on improving and focusing on what you can More than likely, however, it’s not a case of them ignoring or disliking you, it’s all in your head.

2. Send a Short Reminder

If you sent out an email to someone you don’t know very well, give them a week to respond, and if you don’t hear back, don’t be afraid to send a short follow-up email. Express that you’re following-up, reiterate what your first email was about (but do it in a nuanced way – fewer words and different language), and make a statement to continue the conversation.

The key to this tip is to keep it short, sweet, and to the point. The people you’re emailing are likely busy; it’s best to acknowledge that by the length of your email.

3. Know what you want

When many people don’t get a response, they give up. This is unfortunate. Making a worthwhile connection could give you a huge leg up in your career or even could result in the immediate acquisition of business – little to nothing to lose, and so much to gain by following up!

Knowing your end goal with a particular contact will help keep you focused and motivated. So if you think of throwing in the towel, remember the money you could make, the job you want, or whatever else your motivation is, and forge ahead with your follow-ups!

Conclusion

At ClientSide, we know that in the professional services, follow-ups are an everyday task. That’s why, we provide a way for you to send customized automated email reminders to your clients in accordance to your schedule. This way, you don’t have to worry about those pesky reminders – just set and forget! Want to learn more about automated reminders and ClientSide’s other tools for efficiency? Start your free trial now!